[8]

I haven’t particularly liked any Rob Zombie movies until this one, which is strange because his devoted fans — by and large — detest this movie. The Lords of Salem features masterful style and cinematic execution, often reminding me more of a Stanley Kubrick or David Lynch film. Sheri Moon Zombie stars as a young woman who unwittingly opens the door for a coven of Salem witches (yes, those witches) who exact their hellish revenge by making her mother to Satan’s child. (To say the film is blasphemous is a gross understatement.) Sheri Moon does an decent job in the leading role, but it’s the supporting cast who really shine. Meg Foster is unforgettably evil as the leader of the original Salem coven, while Patricia Quinn, Judy Geeson, and Dee Wallace knock it out of the park as a trio of contemporary followers. The first two-thirds of the film are a wee-bit plodding, especially once you’re a step ahead of Bruce Davison’s investigator character, but it’s a minor gripe in an otherwise gorgeous, atmospheric film.